Plastic cap and bottle neck



29, 1967 G. w. FAULSTICH 3,338,446

PLASTIC CAP AND BOTTLE NECK Filed Sept. 26, 1966 FIG. 5 I

1 INVENTOR. GEORGE W. FAULST/C/v A TTORNE) United States Patent3,338,446 PLASTIC CAP AND BOTTLE NECK George W. Faulstich, BlackMountain Spring Water, Inc., 800 Alameda St., San Carlos, Calif. 94070Filed Sept. 26, 1966, Ser. No. 582,081 6 Claims. (Cl. 215-42) ABSTRACTOF THE DISCLOSURE A plastic cap is weakened approximately midway of itscylindrical, thin-walled skirt in a circumferential score line whichconnects with a spiral score line extending to the bottom edge. Aboveand below the circumferential score line are internal beads. The bottleneck to which the cap is applied has a pair of grooves to receive thebeads. Prior to tearing the skirt the cap is tamper-proof because theinterfit of beads and grooves prevents pulling the cap off. When thebottle is to be opened, the skirt is torn along the score lines, theportion above the score line functioning as a reclosure cap.

This application is a continuation-in-part of application S.N. 501,192,filed Oct. 22, 1965.

This invention relates to a new and improved cap and bottle neck. Moreparticularly, the invention relates to a plastic neck and capcombination wherein the cap has a tear strip seal and reclosurefeatures. Reference is made to Patent 3,120,900, of which the presentapplication is an improvement.

In accordance with the present invention there is provided a plastic caphaving a depending skirt weakened approximately midway of its lengthwith a circumferential score line so that the portion-of the skirt belowthe score line may be torn off. Prior to tearing of the bottom of theskirt the cap provides means to prevent tampering with the contents ofthe bottle, it being understood that dishonest persons sometimes fillbottles advertised to contain spring water or distilled water withinferior water unless detection means is provided to preventsubstitution. After the skirt has been tom, the upper portion of the capremains useful and may be used repeatedly for reclosure until thecontents of the bottle is exhausted.

Accordingly, a feature of the invention is the provision of a seal-likeclosure wherein the seal must be broken before access to the bottle isaflForded. The cap is provided with a pair of parallel internalcircumferential beads spaced vertically and each fitting into a groovein the neck of the container. The shapes of the grooves and beadsfacilitate installation of the cap on the neck, but make it impossibleto remove the cap without tearing a portion of the skirt. Further, theuse of two heads and two grooves substantially improves the sealingeffect.

This particular feature, an advantage of the invention, is the fact thatthe cap may be initially installed very easily. The skirt is elongatedand of a moderately resilient plastic material and hence fairly flexibleto permit such installation. Once it is in place, however, it cannot beremoved without tearing the skirt and afiording visual evidence oftampering.

A further feature of the invention is the fact that a cap is used with abottle having a featured or beveled finish to the neck in such mannerthat a very tight seal is effected between the cap and the bottle toprevent leakage and, also, to prevent ingress of contaminants.

A further feature of the invention is the fact that the cap and neck areso constructed that the cap may be inice position and being securelyheld until intentionally withdrawn.

Other objects of the present invention will become apparent upon readingthe following specification and referring to the accompanying drawingsin which similar characters of reference represent corresponding partsin each of the several views.

In the drawings: I

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of a cap in accordance with this invention.

FIG. 2 is a top plan thereof.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of a cap taken substantially along line 3-3of FIG. 2 and also showing a portion of a neck on which the cap isinstalled.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary side elevation of a cap and bottle neck showingpartial tearing of the skirt.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of a cap takensubstantially along line 55 of FIG. 1.

Cap 11 constructed in accordance with the present invention ispreferably made of a thin plastic material which is sufiicientlyresilient and flexible so that it will deform slightly to snap on andoff the container. Polyethylene or polystyrene are satisfactorymaterials for this purpose. Cap 11 is intended primarily for use with athinwalled plastic container 12 which also may be formed of polyethyleneor polystyrene, it being understood that a variety of plastic materialsis available for such purpose. Essentially container 12 is relativelystrong and light in Weight and resistant to chemical action of mostcommon liquids with which it is likely to be used. Although the wallsare reasonably rigid, nevertheless, there is sufiicient resiliency inthe plastic materials so that they will flex somewhat under pressure.

The shape of the lower portion of container 12 is subject toconsiderable variation as is Well understood in the plastic bottle art.Neck 13 projects upwardly from the main portion of the container. Theexterior of neck 13 has an elongated upwardly-inwardly tapered portion14 having formed therein adjacent its upper end an upper rectangularperipheral groove 16. A cylindrical surface 17 extends up from groove 16and terminates in a thin annular top finish 19. Inwardly of finish 19 isa reverse curve portion 24 extending generally inwardly and joinsslightly above the level of groove 16 in a vertical wall 26. It will beseen particularly with reference to FIG. 3 that the depth of groove 16is slightly less than the width thereof. Below groove 16 the exterior ofneck 14 is formed with an outward-downward arcuate surface 18. Belowgroove 16 a distance about twice the width of said groove is a lowerrectangular groove 21 similar in shape to groove 16. Below groove 21 isan arcuate surface 22 similar to surface 18, which merges with thecylindrical exterior of neck 14.

Cap 11 has a flat disk top 13 having a substantially planar interiorwall 36. Adjacent the periphery is a depending interior skirt 37 havinga vertical upper inner wall '38, a horizontal, narrow, annular step orshoulder 39 and a vertical lower inner wall 41 terminating in a thinlower edge 42. The exterior surface 43 of interior skirt 37 curvesupward-outward, generally complementary to surface 24. The interiorsurface 44 of skirt 32 is cylinstalled either manually, with a minimumof physical efdrical up to about the level of shoulder 39 and theportion 46 thereabove curves upward-inward, terminating in a very narrowannular groove 47 about the width of finish 19.

Formed on the interior of wall 44 at the level of groove 16 is upperinternal head 51 having a flat top surface 52, an arcuate inner surface53 and a downward-outward slanted surface 54 disposed at about a 45angle. Below bead 51 is a lower internal bead 56 similar to bead 51 inshape and located at the level of groove 21. Surfaces 3 57, 58 and 59correspond to surfaces 52, 53 and 54, respectively.

When cap 11 and neck 14 are assembled, the cap is pushed down eithermanually or mechanically. Finish 19 encounters slanted surface 59 andthen surface 54, deflecting inward to clear beads 51, 56. Finish 19 thenfits outward of edge 42, encountering surface 43, deforming inner skirt37 inward and nesting in groove 47, all as best shown in FIG. 3.

Bead 51 fits into groove 16, the bead and groove deforming somewhat sothat they are substantially complementary. The curved or slantedsurfaces 18 and 54 facilitate this sequence. Similarly bead 56 andgroove 21 deform to complementary shape.

The seating of the beads in the grooves makes it impossible to pull thecap off the neck so long as skirt 32 is intact. The seating of surfaces24-43, 19-47, 17-44 and the beads 51, 56 in grooves 16, 21, provides avery tight fit which prevents transmission of fluids either into or fromthe bottle.

Once the cap 11 has seated on the neck 14 as shown in FIG. 3, it cannotbe removed because of the frictional gripping of the lower portion ofthe skirt with the exterior of the neck. In order to permit removal ofthe cap, an internal circumferential groove 61 is formed in surface 44immediately above bead 56. A diagonal or spiral groove 62 extends downto a level above edge 33 with a vertical stretch 60 intersecting edge33. To one side of the downward terminus of groove 60 is a finger grip63 formed integrally with the skirt of the cap and of extended length.On the interior of tab 63 are short horizontal beads 64 which assist theuser in gripping the tab 63. To facilitate tearing, a wedge shapedweakening 65 of the interior of skirt 32 if formed immediately to theright of tab 63. When the tab 63 is pulled upwardly, the skirt tearsalong grooves 60 and 62 and when the tear reaches the groove 61, as isbest shown in FIG. 4, the skirt is torn so that its terminus is ahorizontal line 66.

After the skirt has been torn so that it terminates along line 66, theremaining portion of the cap can be removed. To facilitate removal, ahorizontal finger hold 71 which is rectangular in plan, projects outfrom upper skirt portion 32 above groove 61 and below bead 51.Triangular upwardly-inwardly slanted gussets 72, 73 extendupwardly-inwardly from the top surface of finger hold 26 to rigidity thesame. Hence, when the thumb or finger of the user presses upward on thebottom surface of finger hold 71, a considerable prying effort may beapplied to the cap sufficient to unseat bead 51 from groove 16 and topry the cap off the neck.

The upper portion of the cap may be reused repeatedly to keep the bottlecovered until the contents are completely used, a feature ofconsiderable advantage when drinking water is the content of the bottle.Nevertheless, because the lower portion of the skirt has been torn awayit is apparent to the consumer that there is a possibility of thecontents of the container having been contaminated and the user is onguard.

The present invention provides an improved construction which greatlyfacilitates application of the cap to the container neck as contrastedwith Patent 3,120,900 for the reasons previously indicated. Further,there is a very tight seal between the cap and the neck on a pluralityof surfaces, many of these surfaces being slanted in such manner as todeform the cap or neck when pressure is applied sufiiciently to seatbeads 51, 56 in grooves 16, 21. Hence, the cap seal is substantiallyair-tight and watertight when properly applied.

Although the foregoing invention has been described in some detail, byway of illustration and example for purposes of clarity andunderstanding, it is understood that certain changes and modificationsmay be practiced within the spirit of the invention and scope of theappended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A cap for the purpose described having a central top disk, acylindrical, thin walled substantially cylindrical outer skirt ofuniform depending from the periphery of said disk, said outer skirtscored and weakened in a circumferential first line spaced downwardlyfrom the top of said outer skirt and also in a spiral configurationsecond line joining said first line and extending down to the bottomedge of said outer skirt, an integral tab extending substantiallyvertically from the lower edge of said outer skirt adjacent the lowerend of said second line, an upper internal circumferential bead on theinside of said outer skirt between said first line and said disk, saidupper bead in cross-section having a horizontal flat top edge ofextended width, a curved inner edge and a downward-outward slanted loweredge, a lower internal circumferential bead on the inside of said outerskirt located substantially above the lower edge of said outer skirt,below said first line, said lower bead in cross-section being similar tosaid upper bead, said first line positioned immediately above said lowerhead.

2. A cap according to claim 1 in which the corner at which the insidesof said disk and outer skirt join is curved inward-upward.

3. A cap according to claim 1 which further comprises a short innerskirt depending from said disk spaced inward from said outer skirt.

4. A cap according to claim 3 in which said inner skirt has aninward-downward curved outer surface, a thin lower edge, a substantiallycylindrical upper inner surface, an annular shoulder about midway downsaid inner surface and a substantially cylindrical lower inner surfaceof greater diameter than said upper surface.

5. In combination, a container neck having a thin and formed with anexternal circumferential upper groove of rectangular cross-sectionspaced downward from the upper edge of said neck, an externalcircumferential lower groove of rectangular cross-section below saidupper groove, and a cap, said cap having a central top disk, acylindrical, thin walled outer skirt depending from the periphery ofsaid disk, said outer skirt scored and weakened in a circumferentialfirst line spaced downwardly from the top of said outer skirt and alsoin a spiral configuration second line joining said first line andextending down to the bottom edge of said outer skirt, an integral tabextending substantially vertically from the lower edge of said outerskirt adjacent the lower end of said second line, an internalcircumferential upper bead on the inside of said outer skirt betweensaid first line and said disk, said upper bead in cross-section having ahorizontal fiat top edge, an inner edge and a downward-outward slantedlower edge, an internal circumferential lower bead on the inside of saidouter skirt below said first line and of cross-section similar to saidupper bead; said cap and neck interfitting in assembled position withthe upper end of said neck tight against the underside of said disk andsaid beads deformed to fill said grooves, the inside of said outer skirtfitting tight around the outside of said neck.

6. The combination of claim 5 in which said cap is further formed with ashort cylindrical inner skirt depending from said disk spaced inwardfrom said outer skirt; the upper end of said neck jammed between theoutside of said upper wall of inner skirt and the inside of the upperend of said outer skirt to form a tight seal.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,120,900 2/ 1964 Faulstich215-46 FOREIGN PATENTS 222,526 12/1961 Australia.

FRANKLIN T. GARRETT, Primary Examiner.

1. A CAP FOR THE PURPOSE DESCRIBED HAVING A CENTRAL TOP DISK, ACYLINDRICAL, THIN WALLED SUBSTANTIALLY CYLINDRICAL OUTER SKIRT OFUNIFORM DEPENDING FROM THE PERIPHERY OF SAID DISK, SAID OUTER SKIRTSCORED AND WEAKENED IN A CIRCUMFERENTIAL FIRST LINE SPACED DOWNWARDLYFORM THE TOP OF SAID OUTER SKIRT AND ALSO IN A SPIRAL CONFIGURATIONSECOND LINE JOINING SAID FIRST LINE AND EXTENDING DOWN TO THE BOTTOMEDGE OF SAID OUTER SKIRT, AN INTEGRAL TAB EXTENDING SUBSTANTIALLYVERTICALLY FROM THE LOWER EDGE OF SAID OUTER SKIRT ADJACENT THE LOWEREND OF SAID SECOND LINE, AN UPPER INTERNAL CIRCUMFERENTIAL BEAD ON THEINSIDE OF SAID OUTER SKIRT BETWEEN SAID FIRST LINE AND SAID DISK, SAIDUPPER HEAD IN CROSS-SECTION HAVING A HORIZONTAL FLAT TOP EDGE OFEXTENDED WIDTH, A CURVED INNER EDGE AND A DOWNWARD-OUTWARD SLANTED LOWEREDGE, A LOWER INTERNAL CIRCUMFERENTIAL BEAD ON THE INSIDE OF SAID OUTERSKIRT LOCATED SUBSTANTIALLY ABOVE THE LOWER EDGE OF SAID OUTER SKIRT,BELOW SAID FIRST LINE, SAID LOWER BEAD IN CROSS-SECTION BEING SIMILAR TOSAID UPPER BEAD, SAID FIRST LINE POSITIONED IMMEDIATELY ABOVE SAID LOWERBEAD.